


dead masquerade

by sleeponrooftops



Category: Captain America, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, F/M, Language, M/M, Sexual Content, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-07
Updated: 2011-11-07
Packaged: 2017-10-30 15:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/333023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An epidemic strikes that renders planet Earth <i>infected</i>.  Save for those who have sworn to protect her, of course.  But even the Avengers find that the infected have gone beyond their control, and they seek retreat in the safe bases overseas, hiding from the bite and struggling to survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hate myself right now. what even am I doing? inspired by [this](http://rainmustfall.tumblr.com/post/12253206383/au-graphic-meme-steve-tony-post-apocalypse) mostly and my stupid brain. ignore everything.
> 
> on a serious note, this is au, obviously, kind of post-apocalyptic, zombies, avengers, stevetony, I don’t even know what’s going on in my brain.
> 
> and on another note, the length of these chapters vary kind of weirdly. some of them are really short and some of them are a lot longer, so yeah. I just wrote it in the mind frame of a oneshot and then separated it from there, so that’s why. anyway, have at it!

Tony checks over his shoulder, and he watches for twenty seconds before nodding.  “No sign of movement,” he says quietly.

 

The earpiece picks up his signal, and the familiar voice of Steve Rogers responds, “Up here, as well.  Wait for Bruce, and then proceed.  Peter, how are the skies?”

 

“Looking good, Cap.  It’s silent today.”

  
“Behind you,” Bruce says, and Tony nods.  Together, they head out into the open.  Thor and Natasha move at the same time as them on the opposite side of the street, always their shadow.  Bruce takes the lead, attaching two sets of ropes between him and Tony so that Tony can walk backward and they’ll remain together.

 

“Clint, Loki, come in,” Steve says.

 

“All clear up here, Cap,” Clint responds, “Sun’s going down, though.  We need to move faster.”

 

“Bruce,” Tony hisses, slowing his steps until Bruce stops, and then Tony does; across the street, Natasha and Thor do the same.  “Cap, movement,” Tony whispers, his throat sticking.

 

“How many?”

 

Tony pauses, counting in his head.  “Six,” he finally responds, “Moving fast.  Less than a hundred feet.”

 

“Thor, Natasha, cross.”

 

“Not possible,” Natasha hisses, “Movement behind us.  They were in the buildings.”

 

“Do _not_ engage,” Steve reminds, “Loki.”

 

“Darling.”

 

Tony smirks as an image of Loki appears in the middle of the street, so life-like.  He moves away from them as another image Loki appears even farther away.  Tony flinches as something flies over him, and he growls out, “Peter, to Clint.”

 

“Sure thing, Shellhead.  Apologies.”

 

Tony waits until Peter is safely on a rooftop with Clint before turning back.  “Shit,” he mutters, fingers flexing over his gun.  “Bruce, detach,” he whispers.  Bruce moves very slowly, keeping his gaze on the curious man in front of Tony that really isn’t a man anymore.

 

“Detached,” Bruce says after a moment, and Tony pressures the trigger.

 

“Go!”  He and Bruce take off as a shattering scream rips the dying day, and, suddenly, there’s movement everywhere.

 

“Open fire,” Steve gives the command.  The sound of gunfire rings out, and the Avengers move about, working through pre-planned strategies.  A whisper of skin touches the back of Tony’s neck suddenly, and he jumps before realizing it’s just Steve.  “Hey,” Steve says, “You okay?”

 

“Fine.  Block me.”  Thor reaches them, and they form a barrier around Tony as he swings his heavy backpack off his shoulders and yanks the case out of it.  He drops his other luggage and kicks at the case, bringing it to life.

 

“Sir,” Jarvis says in the earpiece.

 

“Thor, on my mark.  Peter, get Natasha.  Loki, Clint.”  The suit closes him away, and he grabs his things as the mask goes up.  He shoulders his large backpack, and Steve takes his gun and bullets before Tony takes his waist.

 

“Thor.”  Thor swings his gun over his shoulder, and Bruce starts to back up as Thor takes Mjölnir from his belt and swings it quickly.  Tony lifts off the ground as Jarvis reads around them.

 

“Thor has taken the right, sir, Loki on the left, Peter will be below.”

 

“Thank you, Jarvis.  Steve.”

 

“I’m okay.”

 

“Good.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Turned around, and there was a zombie staring me in the face.”

 

“How much power do you have?”

 

“Not a lot.”

 

They don’t talk again until the mansion is approaching.  Peter soars past them through a gaping hole in the front wall, which seals shut after Thor has followed him.  Loki goes around the side, and Tony takes the back, lowering down through the ceiling.  When the helmet comes off, Steve drops their things and grabs for him, smashing their mouths together.  “I was so scared,” Steve says, leaning their foreheads together, “I hate leaving you.”

 

“I’m okay.  Now get off.  I don’t want to be in this.”  When he’s out of the suit, he’s goes to Steve, taking his hand and leaning up to kiss him lightly.  “C’mon,” he says when they part, “They’ll be wondering where we disappeared to.”  They trudge through the mansion, Tony releasing Steve’s hand to catch up with Jarvis on his tablet.  “Perimeters secure,” Tony announces when they’re all gathered in the meeting room.

 

There aren’t a lot of them anymore.  Darcy, Gwen, Pepper, Betty, Happy, and Coulson were forced to leave when the epidemic first hit, off to one of the secure bases, though they had had confirmation that they’d made it safely.  Jane had refused to leave, and, so far, her work with Tony and Bruce has been invaluable.  Nick, though, Nick had been their first and, thus far, only casualty.

 

“Cap,” Bruce says immediately, “We have a problem.”

 

“I _told_ you to leave me!” Natasha exclaims, and Steve’s shoulders sag.  When Bruce steps aside, Natasha is clutching her arm, and Clint is gripping his gun.  Natasha sees Tony, and she sighs.  “Don’t kill me,” she says, determined, “Use my body.  Figure it out.  _Please_.  This is your chance.”

 

Tony looks to Bruce, who is staring at Natasha thoughtfully.  “I’ll make it painless,” he says, and Natasha nods.  While most things fall under Steve’s command, science almost always goes to Bruce.  “Tony, Jane,” he says, and the four of them head out.  They end up in one of the lower bunkers, ad Jane stays with Natasha as Bruce and Tony go to collect things from the lab.

 

Upstairs, the team is scattered around the table in the meeting room.  “Those groups today were weak,” Thor comments, and Clint nods.

 

“You need to be with Tony, Cap.  Your mind is too separated otherwise,” Clint says, but they’ve already said this before.

 

“We need someone to keep Bruce grounded,” Steve says.

 

“Loki and Peter are off-limits, and our only other ground man is Thor,” Clint reminds, sighing, “Tony is the only person who can work with him.  I think Thor should pair with you from now on.”

 

“We need Loki on the field,” Thor says, “Clint and Peter work well together.  Loki should be our middleman from now on.”

 

Steve nods in agreement.  “We need to go back out there tomorrow.  We don’t have enough supplies,” Steve sighs, “It’ll have to be without Bruce and Tony, though.  They need to stay with Natasha.  Peter, everything alright?” he breaks off.  Peter shakes his head from the window, and Steve goes to him as Loki enters the room.

 

“They’re looking for her,” he says, nodding toward the window, “They’ve surrounded us.”

 

“They can’t get in,” Steve says, firm, before turning away.  “It’s late.  Dinner in an hour.”  He leaves to go downstairs to unload his gear.  He tries to ignore the screaming coming from the bunkers, but it’s so _loud_ , and all he can think about is that he’ll never be able to laugh over Tony and Natasha’s bickering again.  “Jarvis,” he says softly, “Music.”  He plays Tony’s playlist, and Steve would complain normally, but it drowns out everything.  He pushes into the changing room, already unzipping his vest.

 

When the epidemic first hit, Tony recruited Thor and Steve’s muscles and set to work.  He’d dug down for the bunkers, which were an entire level beneath the basement level of practice rooms.  The changing room had been Bruce’s old office until he moved his things into Tony’s lab, and now it’s a room for them to gear up before they go out.

 

Steve opens the locker to hang up his gun holsters after depositing his two handguns on the top shelf.  Next are the rows of bullets he keeps crossed over his chest, and the various bullet cartridges on the inside of his Captain America shirt.  It’s long since been red, white, and blue, especially since it attracted so much attention with the zombies, and this one is Stark-designed, black and grey.

 

He strips out of that, as well, leaving him bare-chested.  He keeps clean clothes at the bottom of his locker, but he ignores them for now, instead going over to one of the chairs.  He relaxes into it, sighing and leaning down to unlace his boots.  He forms a pile, the dagger in his right boot, the two handguns attached to his pants, the bullets lining the inside of his left pant leg, and the two knives in his belt.  His big gun he’s already leaned inside his locker.

 

He puts his face in his hands when he’s done, trying to find control.  They’ve been so lucky, only Nick, and now Natasha.  “Hey, big guy,” Thor says suddenly, clapping him on the shoulder before heading over to his locker.  Loki comes in after him, stretching his neck.  Thor had come to him, _pleading_ , nearly in tears, and he hadn’t been able to refuse.  Frighteningly enough, Loki got along amazingly with them.

 

“How’re Clint and Peter?” Steve asks, getting up to put his things away and change into a pair of jeans and a white, cotton t-shirt.

 

“Clint’s alright, kind of shocked.  Peter’s a little worse.  He was with her, though.  I can’t imagine that.”

 

“Yeah.  Loki, you said we’re surrounded?”  When he nods, Steve continues, “We need to put the mansion in lockdown before they try to get in.”

 

“Lockdown lasts three days, Cap.  We don’t have enough food for that long.  We barely have enough for one day.  If we’d just been able to get out there today,” Loki trails off, shaking his head.

 

Steve looks at each of them, frowning.  “Lockdown doesn’t cover this room, and—well—Pepper gave me the override codes before she left.  They work for three minutes.”  Thor and Loki are still as he finishes.  Thor slowly re-shoulders his gun holsters as Loki nods.

 

“Three is enough to get us to the garage,” he says, “If we go after dark, we can’t go on foot.”

 

“No,” Steve agrees, “I don’t want to take Clint or Peter.  Their heads aren’t clear right now.  We’d have to use the tunnel exit.”

 

“Okay,” Thor says, “When?”

 

“Ten minutes.  It’s dark already, but I need to run upstairs.”

 

Thor and Loki nod.  “We’ll get the SUV ready.”

 

Steve leaves them and takes the elevator to the second floor.  He rummages through Tony’s things until he finds one of his tablets, and he brings it to life with a brush of his hand.  He’s light years away from Tony’s suave usage, but he’s gotten pretty good, and Jarvis is helpful.  “Mister Rogers, shall I inform Tony of your departure?” the tablet asks as Steve scrolls through controls.

 

“No, definitely not.”  He pauses on his way out to grab Tony’s dog tags that he refuses to wear, his own a familiar presence under his shirt.  When he returns to the changing room, he forgoes the uniform, knowing Thor and Loki will have done the same; they need to look casual right now.  Thor and Loki are already there when he enters.

 

He suits up with a few of his weapons, nods, and exits, making his way to the garage.  Once he’s in the SUV, he programs the lockdown, starts the car, and punches in the override.  He tries to pretend he can’t hear Tony’s roar of realization as the tunnel door snaps shut behind them.  It isn’t long, won’t take them all the way, but they get a few miles from the mansion before they ascend to ground level.


	2. Chapter 2

The ride there is blissfully uneventful, and Thor stands guard outside while Steve and Loki fill twelve duffels with food, medicine, and other supplies.  “Movement,” Thor comes over the earpiece, “Still quite a ways, but he knows we’re here.”

 

“We’re done.  Heading out with the last batch now,” Steve responds.  He and Loki make a dash for the car, hurriedly stowing the duffels away, before they take their positions again, Loki atop the roof and Thor hanging out the window while Steve drives.  They’ve left the engine on, and so there’s no sound to attract attention as Steve pulls away, lights off and speed easy.  Casual, he reminds himself.  They can’t sense fear if there isn’t any.

 

The serum, somehow, has made him immune to the disease, but that doesn’t make him careless.  So, when a horde comes out of nowhere, smashing into them and rocking their car, his heart races.  “Loki!” Thor shouts, and Steve can’t do anything but speed up.  He can see the tunnel door when the thudding starts on the roof.

 

“Thor,” he says before screeching to a halt, putting the car in park, and grabbing his shield from the backseat.  Thor almost gets his hands on him to stop him, but Steve is faster.  His mind is filled with Bucky and watching him fall through air and into icy water to his death, and he won’t let Thor go through that.

 

He wastes no time, and neither does Thor, who takes the wheel and races off toward the tunnel door.  He swings his shield at a group, taking them out, and he reaches for his gun as it comes careening back.  He catches the shield, swings it in the other direction, and fires.

 

Something latches onto his leg, and Steve lets out a growl, sinking to one knee, and he brings his gun in an arch, blasting the head off the zombie that’s torn open his leg.  His jeans are ripped open, and a large, bloody gash will leave him limping for weeks.  The second he’s taken to look at his leg has cost him, though, and he screams in pain as two rows of sharp-edged teeth clamp down on his shoulder.  Another seizes his arm on the same side, and his body shakes as he grabs for his gun with his left hand, firing wildly around him.  A sudden roar captures his attention, though, and his savior comes in the form of Mjölnir and a crazed-looking Thor, who sails through the air, hammer swinging.

 

Steve still tries to help, but his vision is blackening quickly around the edges, and his head feels thick.  “C’mon,” Thor says, pulling him to his feet, but his leg gives way beneath him.  “Steve, you gotta help me, man.”  Steve tries to respond, but his body sags against Thor, and he groans.  “Alright, guess not.”  Thor heaves him up, holding him against him, and Steve’s stomach lurches as the ground leaves his feet.

 

“What happened?” he hears later, and it feels like a lifetime.

 

“Just get him in the lab,” another, male, voice says, shaky.

 

“Tony,” he gasps, and then someone jostles him, and he screams, unable to control himself.

 

“ _Be careful_!” the second voice growls, and Steve groans.  “It’s okay.  Baby, it’s okay.”  A soft hand flitters across his skin, and he struggles to find the body to the voice.

 

“Tony.”

 

“Don’t talk.  Oh, sweetheart.  _What happened_?” Tony echoes the first question, and Steve groans as something cold and metal hits his back.  “What the _fuck_ did I say?”

 

“Tony, calm down,” someone else says.

 

“Get his clothes off.  Be _careful_ ,” Tony snaps before his fingers leave Steve’s skin, and then Steve slips into a haze, head falling back against the metal.

 

\--

 

Tony looks up, eyes flickering to Natasha’s vitals.  Her body thrashes on the slab, and he looks away again, sighing.  He hates to think about her like this, hates seeing her like this, no longer Natasha, just a wild, crazed being.  He wishes that he didn’t think of how her red curls used to brush over his neck before he knew who she was, didn’t think of the way she’d destroyed every person she came upon and how proud he was to call her his teammate, but he can’t help it, can’t help how much this hurts when he looks at her this way.

 

He rubs his face, pushing away from his desk in the bunker, and sighing.  It’s been four days since she first was bitten, four days since Thor brought a collapsing and dying Steve into his lab.  He thinks it’s been four days, but he hasn’t slept or eaten since the day _before_ they brought Natasha down here and Steve back, so he’s having a hard time focusing much.

 

This is how Peter finds him, slumped and staring at the ceiling.  “Tony,” Peter says softly, coming up behind him and bracing his hands on his shoulders, “Tony, you need to get some rest.”

 

“Someone has to watch after her,” he mumbles, sighing when Peter digs his fingers into Tony’s shoulders.

 

“Bruce is well-rested and well-fed.  _You_ are running yourself into the ground.  Listen, I’m not Steve, I can’t pick you up or force you upstairs, but you need to listen to me.”  Peter releases his shoulders and comes around in front of him, kneeling and bracing his hands against Tony’s knees.  “Please listen to me.”  Tony looks down at Peter, frowning.  “I know,” Peter says, pressing his thumbs against Tony’s legs.  “Look,” Peter says with a sigh when Tony continues to stare at him, leaning back on his heels and letting his hands drop, “Do you think this is easy on the rest of us?  Natasha was our _friend_ , Tony.  This _sucks_ seeing her like this.  No, don’t,” Peter puts up a hand when Tony opens his mouth, “You and Steve are like fathers to me.  He needs you.  _I_ need you.”

 

“Come here,” Tony sighs, straightening and tugging at Peter.  He’s not good at this kind of stuff, comforting people and being a father, but he’s watched Steve with Peter, and he thinks he knows what he’s doing.  He pulls Peter toward him, Peter, this young man that he’s grown to love so much, whose shoulders shake when Tony rubs his back and hugs him tightly.

 

When he lets go, Peter takes in a shaky breath and nods, “I’m okay.”

 

“I’ll go to bed, alright?”

 

“Thank you.  Maybe you could, like, I don’t know, eat an apple on the way?  Seriously, Tony, when was the last time you took care of yourself?”

 

“Five days, I think,” Tony grumbles, pushing himself up and out of his chair.  “Jarvis, keep Natasha stabilized and please ring me if anything starts to look interesting.”

 

“Of course, sir.  Shall I keep Mister Banner on alert, as well?”

 

“Yes, that would be… lovely,” he finishes, grabbing his sweatshirt and heading out of the bunkers with Peter.  He pulls a tablet from his pocket, and Peter rolls his eyes.  “I’m just double-checking her,” he says, bumping into Peter and giving him an eyebrow lift.

 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Go say hi to your super husband.”  Tony stops, and Peter turns, shrugging.

 

“Really,” Tony says, eyes narrowing, “That’s honestly all you had to say, but no, instead, let’s put on a waterworks show.  I’m never comforting you again.”

 

“That was sincere.”

 

“My ass,” Tony grumbles before pushing the button on the elevator.  He’s grateful Peter gets off on the first floor so he doesn’t see Tony rush down the hall once he’s on the second floor.  When he pushes their door open, Steve looks over, and Tony sighs.  “You’re such an idiot,” he says, padding over and crawling onto the bed, “How are you?”

 

“Alright,” Steve says, trying to shift and wincing.

 

“Don’t move.  You wanna tell me what kind of shit that was?”

 

“Just sleep on it.  You look exhausted.”

 

“Yeah, well.”  Tony pushes under the blankets, curling up on Steve’s good side and leaning his head down against his shoulder.  Steve wraps an arm around Tony and kisses the top of his head before burying his face in his hair and sighing.  “I love you,” Tony whispers.

 

“I love you, too.  Go to sleep.”

 

And that’s that.


	3. Chapter 3

It’s a week before Steve can walk, and, even then, he needs to use a cane and his pace is slow.  He calls a meeting a day after he’s been out of bed.  “We can’t stay here.  It’s getting worse,” he says when everyone’s gathered.  He takes the seat at the head of the table, grimacing as he lowers into it.

 

“You’re in no position to move,” Peter reminds from his usual position by the window.

 

“I’d say a week, maybe two, before we can really trust that leg.  It should be longer,” Bruce says, “It should be much longer.  You shouldn’t even be out of bed now, but, what with the serum and your stubbornness, we could probably move out in another week.”

 

“We need to,” Steve says as Tony opens his mouth.

 

“You’re not okay,” Tony says, bracing his hands against the other end of the table, “Not only that, we have Natasha.  We’re not done with her.”

 

“Does it look promising?”

 

Bruce and Tony exchange a look, and Steve shakes his head.  “They know we’re here.  They’re just waiting for us, but they aren’t going too much longer.  They’re getting hungry.  They’re going to come after us.  We _need_ to move.”

 

“Where are we supposed to go?  We have _no_ intel on any safe bases other than the ones overseas,” Clint says.

 

“How are we supposed to get overseas?  The quinjet is destroyed, and there are _no_ safe cities on this continent.”

 

“So we get to an airport and fly a plane,” Peter says with a shrug.  Everyone stares at him, and Peter rolls his eyes.  “Seriously,” he continues, “We’re not far.  It’s, what, a four-day journey on foot?  By car, it’s even faster.  We can do this.”

 

The others look around at each other for a moment before Steve nods.  “Okay.  Airport.  Clint, can you fly it?”

 

“Of course I can.  You know how many joy rides I’ve taken with the quinjet, and that’s fun shit.  This will be boring compared to the quinjet.”

 

“We can’t move until you’re better.  Two weeks,” Tony says immediately, looking down the table.

 

“One week.”

 

“Steve, we have _one_ SUV!” Tony exclaims, slamming his palms down on the table, “ _One_!  That is not enough for all of us, especially if we’re taking our shit.  We’ll have to walk.”

 

“We can’t walk and take our shit,” Bruce reminds.

 

“This is actually really simple,” Loki says softly from his corner of the room.  He shrugs when they look at him, “Where do I ride when we go out with the SUV?  The roof.  How many of us are there?  Clint and I hang up top, Peter can follow us, Jane drives, then there’s only four of us left, and that covers the rest of the car with our stuff.  We can do this.”

 

“One week,” Steve says again, looking down at Tony, who holds his gaze for a moment before straightening and turning out of the room.  “Tony,” he tries, but it doesn’t stop him.  When the door closes, Steve looks over at Peter.  “How are we?”

 

“Silent.  Like always.”

 

“We need to set up a perimeter.  We can’t have them on us every night.  Clint, I want you on the roof with Peter.  Loki, Thor, work on set-up.  I want a list of things we’re taking, and I want to know if we have room.  Bruce, Jane, continue work on Natasha.”  Steve pushes out of his chair, and no one says a word as he makes his way out of the room.

 

It’s a slow walk down the hall, and Steve has to lean against the wall on the inside of the elevator.  When he finally makes it to the second floor, he can hear Tony moving about in their room.  “Tony!” he calls, hobbling down the hallway, “Tony, you know, this really sucks.”

 

“You know what _sucks_!” Tony shouts, and Steve rolls his eyes, “Being dragged out of a bunker where one of your teammates is _gone_ but not dead, and yet you still have to fight for her, being dragged out to see your _husband_ bleeding and _fucking near death_!  _That fucking sucks_!”  Something heavy crashes against the door before Steve opens it.  “And now you want to walk into this… this nightmare!”  He turns, facing Steve, whose whole body slumps when he takes in Tony.

 

“What do you want me to do?  I have to look out for this team.”

 

“How many more times do you need to get maimed like this before you realize that we can’t win?  _They_ have us.  There is _nothing_ we can do but—”

 

“What, _stay here_?” Steve exclaims, and Tony just barely ducks as he throws his cane.  “We _cannot_ stay here!”

 

“Oh, you’re going to throw shit at me now?”  Tony straightens again, and a shoe flies across the room.  It hits Steve in the shoulder because his leg slows him and he gasps, staggering.  Tony stares at him, anger flashing in his watery eyes and fear turning his mouth down.  “I hate you sometimes.”

 

“We have to do this.”

 

“Get out.”

 

“Tony.”

 

“I can’t fucking deal with you right now.”

  
“Tony.”

 

“Fine.  Fuck you.  I’m going to the lab.”

 

Steve staggers into his field, and Tony stops, looking up into his blue eyes.  “Tony,” Steve says, reaching up.  Tony leans into his touch, eyes closing.  “Tony, please.”

 

“You know I trust you with my life.  I’d follow you to the end of the world, but this.  This is insane.  We can survive here.”

 

“We can’t.  Tony.”

 

“I’ll still follow you.”

 

“Will you, though?”  Steve runs a thumb over Tony’s cheek before leaning his forehead down to rest against Tony’s.  “I love you.”

 

“And I love you.  But please.  Two weeks.”  Tony tilts his head up to rub his nose against Steve’s.

 

“One and a half.”  Steve drops his mouth to Tony’s, kissing him forcefully.  Tony latches onto him, body molding against Steve’s, but he’s not stable with his leg, and he staggers backward until Tony connects the dots, Tony who pulls him toward the bed slowly and kissing him hungrily.  “Tony, I really can’t,” he sighs regretfully when Tony pushes him onto the bed so that he’s sitting.

 

“So you just lay there and let me take care of you,” Tony whispers, leaning him back with a teasing mouth and drifting hands.  Before his back hits the bed, Tony has his shirt off, and he sighs when Tony’s lips, tongue, and teeth travel down his front, teasing at his nipples and marking his sides and stomach.  His denim-clad groin rocks into Steve’s slowly, tantalizingly, and Steve is breathing harshly by the time Tony straightens and looks down at Steve with lidded eyes.

 

“’Mere,” Steve growls, reaching for the hem of Tony’s shirt and tugging at him.  Tony follows, mouth latching onto Steve’s instantly.  Steve lets his hands drift away from Tony’s shirt, running over his ass and squeezing, to which Tony laughs softly.

 

“You love my ass,” he comments before he straightens again and pulls his shirt off.  The reactor glows bright blue in the dark light of the room, and Steve stares at it.  His heart thuds a little harder thinking about it, and Tony immediately ducks his head, taking Steve’s attention away from it.  “Stop it,” he says, swallowing thickly, “Stop.”

 

Steve nods.  They’ve been through this before.  Out there, they’re responsible for their own bodies, and _definitely_ not each other.  Steve isn’t allowed to worry about the reactor, and Tony isn’t allowed to worry about Steve getting bitten.

 

Tony rolls off him for a moment, and he watches, sighing when Tony’s hips lift off the bed and he quickly slips out of his jeans.  He successfully manages to unbutton and unzip his own, but his arm is weak, and he’s struggling.  Tony bats his hand away as he leans over him to the nightstand, and Steve makes sure to kiss along his exposed skin, smirking when Tony sighs and lingers over him a few moments longer than necessary.

 

Steve’s seen Tony stretch himself plenty of times, when they’re on long journeys and squatting in a dark, abandoned house, when they’re desperate for something to make them forget about everything, when they only have a limited amount of time, and they just _need_ each other, but it never gets old.  He can’t help himself as he reaches forward to run a slow, easy hand over Tony’s cock as his back arches and his own hand fucks into himself.  Steve’s own cock curls up against the curve of Tony’s ass, which he knows Tony loves, especially when he’s prepping himself.

 

He shifts up into Steve’s hand a little, and Steve looks up into his face, smirking.  Tony’s blue eyes are closed, his jaw unhinged just a little, and these breathy moans fall in between his panting.  He has one hand stretched tight over Steve’s thigh to steady himself while his other rocks rhythmically into his ass.  He’s gone.

 

“Tony,” Steve says, and that stills him.  He blinks, inhaling, and his chin drops a little, pupil-blown eyes finding Steve’s face.  “Hey,” he laughs, and Tony rolls his eyes.

 

“You ready?” Tony asks, moving away from Steve’s hand just a little, and he gets the hint, dropping his hands to the bed.  When he nods, Tony reaches behind him again to slick Steve’s cock, and he can’t help it if he pushes up into Tony’s godly hands and gasps when Tony slowly lowers himself on top of him.  “God,” Tony breathes, bending down to kiss Steve’s chest distractedly.

 

A second or two passes before Tony suddenly shifts, hips moving very slowly into Steve’s.  Tony straightens, and Steve bends his knees, bracing against Tony’s back to give him something to steady himself again.  Tony thanks him with a flitting hand over his stomach before he moves a little faster, and Steve groans.

 

It’s been a while, a while since they’ve had _time_.  Usually, they’re so beat up or so afraid that it’s just a quick fuck in the dead of the night, sometimes not in their bed, sometimes not in a bed, and Steve _misses_ Tony.  He reaches up a hand, and Tony lets him lace their fingers together.  Tony catches his eyes, and he smiles his soft, genuine, small smile that makes something in Steve’s chest explode with warmth.

 

“I love you,” Tony whispers, and Steve nods, staring up at him.

 

“I love you, too.”

 

Tony wastes no more time after that, and his hips move quickly over Steve, filling the room with soft gasps, choked moans, and muffled noises.  But it’s when Steve reaches up his free hand and pulls Tony toward him, seeking out his mouth, that they break, the angle shifting and Steve’s cock brushing over Tony’s prostate.  Tony tenses, releasing Steve’s mouth to bite along his shoulder, and Steve snaps his hips up, and Tony comes hard between them, gasping into Steve’s neck and groaning loudly all at once.  It’s Tony coming undone that tears Steve’s control, and he shakes as his grip on Tony’s hand tightens.

 

A few breaths later, Tony leans up to kiss Steve softly and ease off him, falling onto his back on the bed.  “Don’t,” he says when Steve starts to move.  “I’ll do it.  Just give me a second.  Steve, _leg_ ,” he adds with a groan when Steve still moves.  Steve huffs at this and stills, and, a few moments later, Tony pulls himself up and stumbles off to the bathroom.

 

“Sir,” Jarvis says as he wetting a washcloth.

 

“Jarvis,” he answers, washing himself off.

 

The alarm sounds before Jarvis can continue.  “ _Fuck_ ,” he hears Steve swear from the bedroom, a new habit, and Tony springs into action, as well, shutting off the sink and hurrying out of the bathroom.

 

“They’ve broken perimeter.  We—uh—situation,” Clint says over the intercom, “We have to move out now.”

 

“It’s the middle of the night,” Steve growls, yanking his jeans on.

 

Tony all but flies into his bodysuit, and Steve is just pulling his shirt over his head when Tony zips up his jeans over the suit, tugs on his t-shirt, and flattens to the ground.  Steve yanks open their drawers, and Tony pulls a bag out from underneath the bed.  They’ve all practiced this a dozen times, and things go smoothly, thankfully.  Tony takes the duffel so Steve can concentrate on walking, and Steve’s already out of the door while Tony gathers his technology.  He meets Steve in the hallway, tossing him his earpiece.

 

“Here we go,” Tony says before strapping a line of bullets across his chest and loading a round into his gun.  He and Steve make their way down the hallway, armed and moving quick, despite Steve’s leg.  They reach the elevator, and Tony pulls out his tablet.  “Jarvis, read the building.”  The first floor passes them by, and an image pops up in front of Tony.  “Okay,” he says, nodding, “Okay.  Cap.”

 

“Yeah, read it to me.”

 

“Infected on the first floor, everyone’s out, I’m sealing the basement off.”

 

“Locations.”

 

“Bruce, bunkers, uh, Clint and Loki, garage, Thor, changing room, Peter…” Tony trails off, staring at the image.  “Jarvis, show me Peter.”

 

“Sir, I believe that is the situation Clint was talking about.”

 

Tony takes two seconds to process this.  The elevator doors open, Steve leaves, and Tony jams his thumb into one of the buttons.  “ _Tony_!” Steve screams, wheeling around, but the doors have already shut.


	4. Chapter 4

“Jarvis,” he says, locking down the tablet and sticking it in his pocket, “Outcome percentage?”

 

“Not bitten, sir, as far as I can tell, but badly wounded.  Peter, zero, you, three.”

 

“Odds sound good,” he comments dryly, “How many on the first floor?”

 

“An entire horde, sir.”

 

“Excellent.”

 

The elevator doors open, and Tony lets out a roar, pressuring the trigger of his gun.  He forces his way out, shouting commands to Jarvis, who sends excruciating levels of electroshock through the frame of the house and into anyone touching the floor, walls, or ceiling.  He creates a field around Tony to save him from these shocks, but the fields only covers the electroshock and not the swiping nails and limbs of the zombies.

 

“ _Peter_!” he shouts over the noise before, “Jarvis, find him.”

 

“Living room, sir.  Surrounded.”

 

“So cool.  _Peter_!”

 

“Tony!” Peter calls, broken and too quiet.

 

“Peter, I’m coming, hold on!”

 

He doesn’t know how he gets into the living room, but he’s down to the round over his chest when he does.  “Outcomes, sir, are both at zero.”

 

“I know,” he bites out, “Do _not_ inform the team.  Lockdown the basement.”

 

“Sir.”

 

“Jarvis, _do it_.  Electroshock, don’t create the field.”

 

“Sir.”

 

“ _Jarvis_!”

 

Even though he doesn’t create the field, Jarvis tones down the electroshock enough that it only jars Tony, but he can still feel a trickle of blood near his ear, and his mouth tastes like copper.  Peter is crouched in the corner, bleeding and attacking with a hand gun and his webs.

 

“Come on,” he growls, yanking Peter up and forcing him to walk, though it’s not his legs that are injured.  Tony tries not to see the trembling arm Peter has pressed around his stomach.

 

“Tony, just leave me,” he pants when they stumble out of the living room and reach the hallway where zombies are trailing in from the destroyed front wall.  The elevator door chimes open, and Tony grits his teeth.

 

“I thought I said lockdown, Jarvis,” Tony growls, all but throwing Peter toward the elevator.  He fires until the doors close, and then he sinks against the walls, breathing heavy.

 

“Tony, you’re bleeding,” Peter notices, pointing to Tony’s torn t-shirt.

 

“Yeah, I’ll live.  Show me.”  Peter slowly removes his arm, and Tony lets out a harsh breath through his nose.  “Alright.  You need to tell me _right now_.”

 

“No.  I wasn’t.”

 

“Then you’re going to be okay, Peter,” he says, trembling, as he presses their foreheads together and puts Peter’s arm back over his stomach, “But you need to hold on for me.  Can you do that?  We need to leave, but I swear to God, I will _not_ let you die.  Peter,” he hisses, shaking him once.

 

“Okay,” Peter says, eyes wide and fearful, and then he breaks, “Tony.”

 

“Don’t,” Toy gasps, closing his eyes, “Don’t.  Please, Peter.  I can’t lose you.”

 

“Tony, you have to leave me.”

 

“Fuck you, I’m not leaving you.  You are coming with me.  I’m going to save you.”

 

Peter doesn’t respond until the doors open again, where Steve is sitting against the opposite wall, and then he presses into Tony’s touch, and says, “Okay.”

 

“Take this,” he says to Steve without looking at him, tossing him his gun, “Go get changed.  I got him.”

 

He lifts Peter in his arms, carrying him bridal style, and they hurry out of the elevator before Jarvis puts the place in lockdown.

 

It takes them twenty minutes to get ready.  Once everyone’s changed, and their small amount of personal things are stowed in the trunk, they load equipment from the lab, and Tony swallows a lump in his throat as he looks at all his work, his home, his heart.

 

“We’ll come back for it, Jarvis,” he says softly.

 

“I won’t let them in,” Jarvis responds, uncharacteristic, and it almost makes Tony lose control.

 

They can’t take Natasha.  Bruce sets a drip that’s timed for when they’re gone, and Tony tries not to acknowledge the fact that she’ll be dead in only a few minutes.  Clint and Loki take the roof of their only SUV, Jane launches into the driver seat, Steve takes the passenger seat, Bruce takes one of the bucket seats, and Tony takes the floor in the back with Peter sprawled out on the back seat.  Medical supplies litter the other bucket seat, and Bruce is twisted to face them, assisting Tony, whose knowledge and ease with repairing them had already far outweighed Bruce before he learned even more after the epidemic, and now he’s been reigned as their doctor because Bruce may be, _technically_ , a doctor, but he’s all about science, and Tony has had to save his own life more times than he cares to count.

 

The tunnel door is hell.  It’s barely open when Clint starts firing and Loki works his magic sending images of himself out into the field to fight.  Thor, from his position in the back, the window open, fires a heavy gun, Mjölnir ignored on the ground.  Tony tunes it all out, his tablet out with screens projecting Peter’s wounds and Jarvis talking quickly into his ear, most times not even about anything.  They bicker as they always do, and the team has learned to not ask Tony to pay attention because he _is_ , and he’ll freak without this comfort.

 

The first break of light brings them peace.  They’ve since, for at least two hours, been out of the heavy hordes, only a few stragglers here or there, and the mansion is long gone, somewhere they can never go to again until all this hell is over.  First light also brings a reprieve for Tony and Peter, who’s asleep on the backseat and patched up as much as they can in the moving SUV and without any anesthetics.  Tony’s pretty sure he’s going to break his rule and cry into Steve’s neck because having to work through Peter’s screaming is the worst thing he’s ever done.

 

When Tony straightens, leaning against the bucket seat with the medical supplies, his hands are bloody and shaking, and Bruce launches into action, cleaning off the seat and talking quickly, “Thor, are you good back there, or do you want to move up here?”

 

“I’ve cleared out a small space, and this way I can keep an eye on Clint and Loki.  I’ll stay here,” he calls out.

 

“Awesome.  Tony—Tony,” he says, firm, but Tony can’t move.  He can’t think.  He stares at Peter, his little, broken Peter, and his breath comes out in a sharp gasp.  “Steve, he needs you,” Bruce commands, taking the other bucket seat and dropping the duffel of medical supplies on the floor.  He turns away from them, covering his face with his hand, and Steve carefully maneuvers into the back so that Bruce can take the passenger seat, and, once that’s settled, he takes a cloth from the duffel and wipes Tony’s hands clean.

 

“Steve,” Tony whispers.

 

“I know.  He’ll be okay.  Come here.  Tony,” he growls out when Tony doesn’t move, “Come here.”  Tony obeys, and Steve bites back his grimace when he forces Tony into his lap and folds him away.  “It’s okay.”  Tony doesn’t cry, but he doesn’t feel quite right either.  He lets himself unwind in Steve’s arms, lets the shock of his previously bloodied hands settle over him, and Steve just rubs his back and tucks him away from the world.

 

Over the roaring in his ears, he can hear the occasional grunt of command or fire of a gun, and, somehow, he knows there isn’t going to be anything but death at the airport.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony wishes he hadn’t been right.

 

He’s currently going through the base at the airport, seeking out any supplies that might be useful to them.  “Guys,” Steve suddenly says over the com, sounding weary, “Empty.  Completely empty.”  A silence falls over the com, and Tony looks away, body heavy.  He had been so eager for this, to finally be getting away.  It had been so long, so many exhausting months since they’d had peace.

 

“Tony,” Bruce hisses, capturing his attention, and he swivels his head, arching an eyebrow.  They listen, and Tony reaches for the gun slung across his back as he hears the rustling.  Bruce motions toward the door, and Tony nods.  They move slowly and quietly, packing up their duffel and moving out.  Bruce swats at his arm when they reach the door, and he turns, swallowing.

 

It hasn’t seen them yet, but they won’t get much farther without attracting its attention.  Bruce holds up three fingers and then drops one.  Tony frees his right hand, and he manages to unzip the second pocket of Bruce’s backpack without much noise.  He lifts one grenade out and passes it forward as a chunk of the wall rips out and reveals so many more throughout the rest of the base.  Tony touches Bruce’s shoulder with one finger and zips the pocket, two fingers and Bruce releases the safety cap, three fingers and they run.

 

“Tony!” Bruce yells only a few feet from the exploding base.  He starts to turn as he realizes.  “Tony, _go_.”  A scream pierces the air, Jane, followed by a shattering roar, the horde.  He tries to start back toward Bruce, but someone grabs his arm, Peter.

 

“ _No_!” he growls, struggling away from Peter, “Bruce, _no_!”

 

And then he’s gone, dragged back into the collapsing base.

 

“Tony, come on,” Peter pleads, tugging him away, “We have to go.  They’re everywhere.”

 

Thor is unconscious in the backseat when they get back to the SUV.  “Teams, go!” Steve yells even as hundreds of them pour out of the base and he brings the engine to life.

 

“Barton Laufeyson,” Clint yells from the roof.

 

“Odinson,” Loki adds, and it hurts, deep in their chests.

 

“Parker Rogers,” Peter says shakily.

 

“Stark.”

 

“Banner?” Steve says.

 

“Just go.”

 

Steve spares Tony a glance before speeding off.  Peter takes position through one of the windows, Tony takes his in the passenger seat, and Clint ad Loki work up top.  It’s half an hour before they’re safe again.  “What happened?” Steve asks aloud.

 

Peter is the one who responds, “Well, regarding Thor, that was a combined effort of myself and Loki.  Jane was—well, uhm—she wasn’t eve bitten.  They just—just— _destroyed_ her,” he says thickly before clearing his throat and continuing on, “And then, from what little I saw, Tony and Bruce were trying to escape.”

 

“Bitten,” Tony says before Steve can ask, and that’s the end of that.

 

They go through two driving shifts before Jarvis finds a safe place for them.  It’s a small place, with only a little amount of space, but they manage.  “We’ll take first watch,” Loki says, nodding toward Clint, who actually smiles.  Peter catches it and grins.

  
“C’mon, big guy,” he says to Thor, “Let’s go find something for you to hit.  I totally call couch later, though.”

 

“Take it easy!” Steve calls after him before he lowers his gaze to Tony.  He waits for everyone to disappear before taking Tony’s hand and lacing their fingers.  “Do you want to sleep?” he asks.  Tony shakes his head but turns toward the hallway where there’re two bedrooms anyway.

 

Steve’s leg is better enough by now that he can take Tony by the hips and steer him toward the bed with little difficulty.  He presses his mouth down against Tony’s, biting lightly on his bottom lip before pulling back and looking into his eyes.  “What do you want?” he asks softly, reaching up a hand to brush his black hair out of his blue eyes.

 

“I just want to forget everything,” Tony mumbles, reaching up and rubbing his nose against Steve’s jaw, “I want you to fuck me, and then I want to fall asleep, and, in the morning, maybe—maybe—fuck,” he breaks off, his body trembling, “Bruce, Steve.”

 

“I know, baby.”  He pulls Tony toward him, holding him tightly, and Tony just buries his face in Steve’s chest, shaking and forcing away his tears.  “Come on, let’s lay down.  We can get some rest before our shift.”

 

When Steve pulls back, though, Tony’s face is broken and open, hot tears welling in his eyes and stumbling out.  “I can’t do this,” he whispers, his voice cracking, “Steve, I can’t do it anymore.”

 

“Tony—”

 

“You and Peter and Bruce and I just can’t do it.”

 

Steve swallows, looking at him for a long moment before nodding.  “What do you want me to do?”

 

“Just hold me, please.”

 

Steve takes his hand and leads him onto the bed, pushing him down and crawling in next to him.  “It’s going to be okay, Tony,” he whispers, holding him close and kissing his forehead, “We’ll find a plane, I swear to you.  We are not going to fall to this.”

 

“You can’t leave me, okay?  I can’t lose you.  I can’t,” Tony chants until he can’t talk anymore, and Steve just rubs his back and kisses his tears away.

 

\--

 

Steve takes his watch alone.  Tony is still fast asleep in their bed, Loki and Clint in the room opposite.  Steve is happy for them, but he finds it hard to really show it, especially with Thor, who hasn’t been able to sleep.  Peter had given up the couch for him and claimed he’d go stay with Tony, and Steve had watched him go with a smile.  They’d almost lost Peter, and he still wasn’t doing that well; Tony would never survive losing him along with Bruce.

 

Steve sighs and lifts the binoculars to his eyes again, surveying the land.  His lower lip trembles as he lowers them to his lap again.  They’re never going to survive this.

 

He slowly makes his way off the roof, careful to not make too much noise, and he shakes Thor’s shoulder before continuing down the hall to where Loki and Clint are sleeping soundly.  He knocks twice on the inside wall, and they’re getting ready when he pushes into his room, sighing when he finds Peter already awake and putting on his things.

 

“Tony,” Peter whispers, nudging him, “Tony, come on, we gotta fight.”

 

Turns out they really hadn’t had to.  All gathered on the roof, they watch as the dozen or so infected sprint on by, taking no care of the house.  But, when they’re gone, no one seems to want to go back inside.  Tony relaxes into Steve’s arms, turning his face into his neck and sighing.  Peter reclines onto his back next to them, Thor and Loki talk quietly off to the side, and Clint stalks about the roof, watching the night.

 

They’re alone.

 

\--

 

They were having sex on the roof.

 

Steve’s not even sure how Tony convinced him this was a good idea.  Hell, it _isn’t_ a good idea.

 

“Steve,” Tony groans, nails digging into his shoulders, “Fuck, Steve.”

  
“What?” Steve hisses, nearly stilling.

 

“No, good fuck,” Tony whines, pushing down on Steve’s cock, “God, just—fuck—faster.  I’ll tell you if I see anything.”

 

It’s been like this, back and forth, Tony forgetting to watch, saying something that could go both ways, and Steve freaking out.  They’re never going to get anywhere.

 

Except then Tony gasps and arches into Steve’s sweat-slicked body, hips rocking down, and Steve groans, biting into the side of his neck, hips snapping quick and hard against Tony’s ass, his cock sliding in and out of that searing, beautiful heat.  “Tony, Tony,” Steve mumbles into his skin, nails scratching against Tony’s back, “God, Tony.”

 

Tony presses his heels into Steve’s back, pushing himself closer, his throbbing dick brushing against Steve’s stomach, and _that_ is the friction he’d been looking for.  He groans and reaches up to bury his face in Steve’s shoulder, panting and so close.

 

“Steve,” he stutters, molding even closer and gasping, “Steve.”

 

One of Steve’s large hands come down to curve around Tony’s ass and press him close, squeezing, and Tony groans, biting at Steve’s jaw and neck.  His watch flashes in the moonlight, and, oh yeah, he’s supposed to be watching time, as well.  He gives the landscape a quick glance, no infected, checks the time, shit.

 

“Steve, five minutes till webhead takes his shift,” he grumbles, and Steve pants out an _okay fuck fine oh my God_.  Tony grins and angles his body down into Steve’s pulsing hips, pulling a strangled moan from the back of the super solder’s throat.

 

“You are _trying_ to get us caught, honestly,” Steve gasps against his face, knocking Tony’s jaw until he drops his head and Steve presses their foreheads together.  The hand not on Tony’s ass suddenly disappears from behind him, and Tony tightens his grip around Steve, holding them together and steady, but then the disappearing hand wraps around Tony’s cock, and his head drops back, exposing the long line of his neck.

 

Steve nips at the tan skin until Tony arches, ass clenching, and Steve leaves an open, wet kiss at the hollow of his throat, groaning and snapping his hips into Tony _hard_.  “ _God_ ,” Tony gasps, nails digging into the back of Steve’s shoulder blades and head snapping up to push his mouth against Steve’s to muffle them.

 

Tony comes hard and fast between them, vision white-washed.  Steve is moments after him, moaning into Tony’s mouth and hands flitting to his hips in a vice-like grip.  Tony pulls away from the kiss when he’s sure neither of them will make any noise loud enough to attract attention, and they stay together, panting and sweaty.

 

“Wow,” Tony says after a moment, and Steve just laughs before slowly easing himself out and kissing Tony’s forehead.

 

“Yeah.  That was new.”

 

“We gotta get dressed.  He should be awake by now.”

 

“Yeah, alright.”

 

Tony dresses first while Steve watches, and then they switch.  They’re just collapsing back onto the roof, Steve pulling Tony toward him, when the front door opens.  Moments later, a spider’s web shoots out toward the chimney, and Peter comes climbing up.

 

“Don’t even try to play the innocent face,” he mumbles, releasing the web and padding over to them, “I _know_ what you two were up to.”

 

Tony just laughs and ruffles his hair, pulling Peter down between them.  “Thor not joining you, bud?”

 

“Nah, he likes to sulk by himself now.”

 

“We’ll stay up here, then,” Steve finishes Tony’s thought, looking over at him with a fond smile.

 

Things almost feel normal.


	6. Chapter 6

“We need a game plan,” Steve says the next day as they all settle on the roof to talk and still keep watch.

 

“We can’t stay here much longer,” Clint agrees.

 

“Well, okay,” Peter says from his position on his back where Tony is checking his stomach and changing his bandages, “The next major cit that’s sure to have at least _something_ for us is Boston.  We could rest up here and— _ow_!”  He glares up at Tony, who just smiles fondly down at him.

  
“Boston sounds good,” Steve says with a nod, “We can probably manage another day or two before we need to leave.  That’ll give us time to heal a little, and then we just do a one-trip journey, no stops.  It’s not far.  It’ll be easy.”

 

It wasn’t.

 

It takes them six hours of mindless travel because they’re forced to stop three different times, twice for hiding and the last time for Peter.

 

“Is it because of his stomach?” Steve asks Tony.  Peter is doubled over some feet away from the side of the road, retching.

 

Tony nods, leaning into the warmth that is Steve.  “I’m not a miracle worker,” Tony says sadly, “I did what I could with what we had.  He needs real medical attention.  As do you,” he adds harshly.

 

“I had Loki change my bandages the other day.  I’m nearly healed.”

 

“Super soldier,” Tony grumbles, and Steve sighs, pulling Tony toward him for a kiss.

 

\--

 

They’re within sight of the airport when Clint knocks on the roof and calls out, “Bad, _bad_ news, guys.  That is a beautiful-looking horde chasing us.  Beautiful, you ask.  Well, Hulk is with them.  A _zombified_ Hulk.  Yeah, imagine that.  It’s so beautiful.”  Without a word, Tony accelerates.

 

“Okay!” Steve says over the com, as they hurtle into the airport, “Thor, Peter is our number one priority.  He cannot defend himself.  Loki—oh my God,” he cuts himself off, “There’s a plane.”

 

“I’m on it!” Clint yells.

 

“Tony, stop away from the plane, near the base.  We don’t want to draw them near our escape.  Thor, when we stop, stay with the car and Peter while Clint checks out the plane.  When he gives the okay, Peter is the first one on.  Loki, work in the field and check out Hulk.  Tony, you’re with me.”  The car stops a few seconds later, and they spring into action.  Steve and Tony hold their positions some feet away from each other, merciless and wild.

 

“I can do this, I can _definitely_ do this!” Clint exclaims suddenly over the com, “Oh man, I can do this.  Thor!  Get Peter over here!  Cap, any commands for supplies?”

 

“Do you have any time to spare?  Loki, cover Thor.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, can I borrow Thor?”

 

“Briefly.  I need him.  Tony,” Steve adds, dropping his voice as Loki takes off, “I love you.”

 

“I know,” Tony whispers, “I love you, too.”

 

“Don’t do this,” Steve pleads, stepping closer to him and flashing him a glance.

 

“I have to know.”  Thor comes out of the plane again as Tony starts to edge away.

 

“Tony, please.”

 

Tony shoots a look over his shoulder again before giving a command, eyes fixed on Steve, “If it looks bad, leave.  Thor, Loki, you get him out of here.”  And then he’s gone, charging into the masses.  “Bruce!” he roars, clearing a path with a  wide arc of his gun, “Bruce!”

 

“Hulk is here!” Hulk yells as he picks two zombies up and smashes them together.

 

“Bruce!”

 

“ _Tony_!”

 

“God, Steve, get out!  You’re going to get yourself killed!”

 

Steve’s back hits his, and Tony sighs.  “I can’t live without you,” Steve says, adamant, “There’s no way I’m leaving you behind.”

 

“Yeah,” he swallows, “Okay.”

 

“Hulk is… word!” Hulk interrupts them.

 

“Immune, Bruce!” Tony shouts, “Are you immune?”

 

“Hulk is here!  Hulk is here… Tony.”  It’s all he needs.  But then Thor roars in pain, and something explodes.  “Go!” Hulk roars, “Hulk is here!”

 

Tony nods, looking into Hulk’s green, _green_ eyes.  “I’m not leaving you,” he whispers, and Hulk blinks.  “Come on, he’s gonna block us,” Tony says to Steve, nudging him.

 

“Loki, situation,” Steve says into his earpiece.

 

“ _Thor_ ,” Loki gasps, and another explosion sounds.

 

Steve and Tony slowly back their way out, never straying from each other’s touch until Thor’s painful cry resounds around the airport again and Hulk brings his hands back.  “Hulk, _no_!” Tony screams, but it’s too late.  Tony spins, meaning to grab onto Steve and hold him tight, to not let them separate, but the bellow of wind from Hulk’s smashing hands rips them apart.

 

Tony’s world goes black.

 

\--

 

“Loki!” Steve shouts, struggling to his feet even as he shoots at infected pressing in on him, “Loki, where are you?”

 

“ _STEVE_!” Loki’s voice suddenly screeches across the airport, and he drags himself upward, sprinting toward the voice.

 

“Where’s Thor?” he shouts as he goes.

 

“Bitten,” Loki says, his voice tight, “Where _are_ you?  Tony… he’s… Steve, you need to get here _now_.”

 

“What happened to Thor?” Steve forces himself to ask as he finally spots the real Loki, shielding what he imagines is Tony while he works his deceptive magic throughout the field and even amongst his real self.

  
“He was _bitten_ , Rogers,” Loki growls, “He was trying to protect me, and they tore his arm off.  He ran into the fight before I could stop him.  I know what he’s thinking.  He wants to die a warrior’s death, the stupid—”

 

“Not now.”  Steve slows as he reaches Loki, his eyes going wide.  “Oh God,” he gasps, his first step jumping into a run.  He drops behind Loki and his shield, throwing his gun over his back and lifting Tony in his arms.  “Do you know if—”

 

“No,” Loki answers, “Check him before you bring him on that plane.”

 

Steve checks the surface areas before looking for any rips in clothes.  After he’s done that, he peeks under Tony’s collar and hems and comes away satisfied.  “Loki, I’m—”

 

“Save it.  Get to the plane.  I’ll call for Hulk when you’re inside.”  Steve just nods.

 

As he hurries up the steps, Peter is waiting by the door.  “You need to be resting,” Steve says, but Peter just glares at him and motions wildly at the floor.

 

“Get back out there; I’ll take care of him.”

 

As Steve descends the stairs again, Thor’s voice comes over the com, “My friends,” he says thickly, “It has been my honor to fight alongside you, my brothers and my companions.  I hold each of you in my heart.  Go.  Leave me.  I will hold them back.  I ask you, though, a favor.  Please.  I wish to speak to my brother.”

 

“Thank you,” Steve whispers before pulling out his earpiece.

 

“Are you ready to give them hell?” Loki whispers almost a mile away, and Thor grins.

 

“My arm, really?” he comments, “What use am I without my arm?  We’ll see if you get a ride home.”

 

“I was under pressure.  Stark had just been blasted into the wall, compliments to Banner.”

 

“Has he left yet?”

 

Loki lifts his eyes, scanning the area.  “Gone,” he confirms.

 

“What about Clint?” Thor asks, and Loki hears the unspoken question.

 

“You are my brother,” Loki says, “I have never needed more in my heart.”

 

“I am glad to have you by my side, Loki,” Thor says, and Loki just smiles.

 

With a war cry, his brother charges into a mass, Mjölnir swinging, and Loki presses his earpiece back in, knowing Clint will still be there.  “Is Steve inside?” he asks quietly, directing one of his images toward a few stragglers moving toward the plane.

 

“Yeah, Peter called for him.  Hulk’s loaded up; we’re all here.  Are you sure about this?”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“I understand.  I’ll miss you.”

 

“You’ll see me again,” Loki smirks, “I survived falling with the Bifröst; I think I’ll be okay.  Plus, Thor is crazy.”

 

“And arm-less, according to Steve.”

 

“I’ll be seeing you.”

 

“I’ll be waiting,” Clint says, and Loki can almost hear the smile before the connection drops.  He lets his images fade, and he takes a deep breath before plunging after Thor.

 

\--

 

“You’re supposed to be in the hospital!” Steve exclaims exasperatedly as he feels the ghost of a kiss over the back of his neck.

 

“I checked myself out,” Tony says with a shrug, snaking his arms around Steve’s chest and hugging him, “What are you working on?”

 

“Decoding Loki’s latest letter.  Coulson gave up.”

 

“That hard, huh?”

 

“I mean, I can understand some of it.  They’re doing well.  Living near the mansion; they go back to it during the day to fix up things.  The lab is okay.”  Tony smiles, coming around the other side of the table and taking a seat.  It’s only been a few weeks since they landed in Paris, but they’re all nearly healed and ready to get back into action.  Steve’s taken up his shield again as commander in one of the army sections, Bruce is working with scientists day in and day out, working to perfect the solution, Clint has put together a group of specialized soldiers, quiet and lethal, and Peter has sought out a position under Clint, learning and preparing for their first venture outside the base’s walls.  But Tony, Tony has been with them all, poring over maps, strategies, and letters from Thor and Loki with Steve, aiding Bruce in any way with his new lab, slowly coming together, and even taking lessons from Clint and torturing Peter.

 

It’s not perfect, but it’s a step away from hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, that got incredibly cliché.
> 
> Uhm, so Thor originally was going to die? Except I really couldn’t do that. I was writing it, and Loki was just a mess, and I just couldn’t. I’m sorry; I know it’s probably not as good now because things are all happy, la-la-la, but I just—blah, I hate sad stories. And zombie stories usually end happy anyway; you just don’t see _that_ much aftermath.
> 
> Whatever, I’ll just go now. Leave your thoughts!


End file.
